William H. Hilton

An unmarried 27 year old farmer from Wesobulga, AL, he enlisted on 19 July 1861 in Montgomery, AL and mustered as a Private in Company D of the 13th Alabama Infantry.

He was with his company in action at Turner's Gap on South Mountain on 14 September and was captured at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862.

By 14 October he had been paroled and sent to Winchester, VA. He was formally exchanged and returned to duty on 15 November 1862. He was promoted to Corporal in August 1863 and was captured again, in the Wilderness, VA on 6 May 1864.

He was sent to Elmira, NY where he made a statement on 31 October 1864 that he wished to take an oath of allegiance to the United States - that when he enlisted in 1861 "he didn't know what he was doing. Was influenced by prominent citizens of his section. Was then and is now a Union man." He was not offered the oath until 29 May 1865, when he took it and was released.

His service from his Compiled Service Records,1 online from fold3, and from the Alabama Archives.2

c. 1837 in GA